Help repairing CDI box ??

I need to get the circuit board out of its box on my gen2 to attempt a repair. (No spark on one cylinder.) Won't budge. I tried search, no luck, but someone knows, please.

 

I think those boxes are designed to be tamper proof squirrel.
When you open them carefully (prying) with a screwdriver you wind up breaking tabs and you will just have to jerry-rig it back together with glue and redneck magical tape.

 

From what I've seen of CDI's the inner void of the box is filled with some sort of resin/plastic goop that forms a solid brick to the pcb. You need to use stuff like acetone and literally carve the pcb free as carefully as you can. Good luck

 

opcorn: yep, same as above^ :wave: ice-hunchin good luck

 

Really is a shame manufacturers do crap like that. Alot of the time the module has failed just due to a simple broke free solder pad that needs to be reflowed. If it's a bloated puked out capacitor, those are super cheap.

 

Not to be a prick or anything, but they do call them "black-boxes" for a reason right? They are usually tamper-proof, but that does'nt mean you can't pry them apart, sometimes you can repair them like you mentioned, other times they get binned. Everything is a learning experience imho, I had something go bad in one of my Fords where the lights would not come on, it was a crappy looking "black-box" that had a two tier board and it cost $500 US. The brillant engineers stuck it behind the glove compartment, so it was at least easy to install. Cheers and good luck

 

That is to be expected.

 

Lets get some factual, scientifik info on the forum here: It's easy to remove the end cover on the box, and the board IS NOT POTTED WITH GOO !! Looks like it should just slide out for repair but something is holding it in. I'm fairly sure i read a post on here about removing board and doing repairs but i couldn't find it using any search terms. Anyone who's a great "Wizard of Search" might be able to help me and others...............

I'll dremelize the box if i have to, hoping not to snag part of the board !

 

I remember a post from a European member that there was a repair service that could usually fix them. A number of US members expressed surprise that it could be consistantly done. He didn't give any details regarding the actual repair process though and I'm not sure what generation he had.

 

I'm expecting to do any necessary repair myself, just soldering in a new component or two........if they're obviously burned or melted. If not, i'll just save the box for posterity to repair later at some future time when EVERYTHING BECOMES CLEAR due to the internet.

 

http://vfrworld.com/forums/showthread.php/22774-Cdi-Unit-Restoration-For-A-87-Vfr-700-F2
Is this the link?

 

That could have been me.
1987 vfr700 f2
I had a transistor replaced, cost £20 about $35

Roger

 

Thanks for the help, lads. :loyal: I'll take photos when i get the board out of the box.